Food-borne disease make millions sick every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s also responsible for 5,000 deaths.

The culprit isn’t always a restaurant, however. Peter Pribis, an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at the University of New Mexico, said people should pay attention to what’s in their fridge.

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“You can get severely sick,” Pribis said. “Use common sense.”

When shopping, consumers should pay attention to sell by dates and best used by dates. The former says how long a store has to keep a product on its shelf, and the latter lets consumers know how long they have to use the product for best quality.

Foods kept in the cupboard, fridge and freezer all come with different rules.

“Your pantry should be dry and not humid,” said Pribis.

In general, rice beans and canned foods stay good for years after they expire.

“Highly acidic foods, things like pineapple (and) some fruits are good between 12 and 18 months,” said registered dietician Jenny Myer. “The non-acidic (foods) like green beans -- those can stay good for two to five years.”

Bulging or badly damaged cans should likely be thrown away, however.

In terms of refrigerated storage, fish and poultry can stay in there for two days before cooking. Fresh red meat or cooked poultry and meat leftovers are good for up to five days. Lunch meat can last for a week in the fridge.

Eggs can be used up to five weeks after expiration, if bought before the date expires.

Consumers can wait on soft cheeses and yogurt for 10 days and a month after expiration for hard cheeses.

“Fruits like apples and bananas give off ethylene gas which helps them ripen, which is a good thing, but you don't want to put them by other fruits and vegetables because that can make other fruits and veggies spoil sooner than you want to,” said Myer.

According to Pribis, the freezer is a safer zone.

“You can put milk into the freezer, deli meat into the freezer and by doing so, you can extend the expiration date by months,” he said.

Frozen foods are safe indefinitely if frozen correctly, according to the Food and Drug Administration. In its original package, freezer bags or even heavy foil, everything keeps.

Contaminated food can make consumers sick within minutes, with symptoms similar to the flu such as diarrhea and vomiting.

Regardless of the date, consumers should be on the lookout for spoilage. If it smells funny or something is growing on it, toss it.